Chapter 133 — The Price of a Worthless Life

1

For the umpteenth time, a dazzling scene unfolded before them.

The relentless bombardment from the angel had reshaped the entire landscape.

Perhaps it was because the Apostle lacked any significant artifacts.

Manus could feel the severe depletion of his mana.

A 5th-Class spell, a 4th-Class spell, and even an incomplete 6th-Class spell.

He had recklessly unleashed spells that most people wouldn’t see even once in their lifetime, and now his entire body felt utterly ruined.

He panted heavily, waiting for his body’s natural recovery to kick in.

‘I’m still lacking… I need more discipline.’

One of the most important things for a mage was the total amount of mana they could wield.

No matter how strong your spells were, it all came down to how many powerful spells you could cast.

The metallic taste of blood kept rising in his mouth.

His entire body screamed in agony as overwhelming fatigue and drowsiness washed over him.

Even breathing felt like a chore.

Albion hurriedly tried to cast a healing spell, but to no avail.

After all, familiars relied on their master’s strength to cast magic.

[Kiiing-]

“Manus, are you okay? That spell just now…”

“The Apostle, is it—?”

Alano rushed over, casting healing magic as well.

The screaming muscles began to heal, if only a little.

However, using magic was now out of the question.

Still, they must have dealt a massive blow.

Maybe… they had even killed him.

“We… we must have defeated him, right?”

But Alano had uttered words that should never have been spoken.

Manus, with a sinking feeling, lifted his head and looked ahead.

In the spot where the magic had swept through, only a massive crater remained.

Something was wriggling at the bottom of that deep pit.

Ssshhhk-

A long beam of light shot toward Manus.

In a split second, he pushed Alano aside and took the hit directly.

The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt before, forcing him to grit his teeth and suppress a groan.

He had been stabbed and struck before, but never had his flesh been scorched like this.

‘Back on Earth, I never even had a reason to get hurt…’

“Ugh.”

A groan slipped out involuntarily.

His already weakened body was now even more damaged.

As he collapsed to one knee, a chilling voice reached his ears.

“You did well, human. I have no choice but to acknowledge you.”

“You… you’re still alive?!”

“Everyone, prepare to attack!”

Realizing that the Apostle was still alive, the group immediately started casting spells, launching a barrage of attacks.

However, the Apostle blocked every single one with a barrier as he slowly approached.

This was a pattern even Manus had never seen before.

Was it a desperate last stand?

Or did he have some hidden power?

Despite being incomplete, Manus had unleashed a 6th-Class spell.

And yet, the Apostle had survived?

‘A starting boss with this much health? That’s absurd.’

Manus struggled to stand up.

Alano, who had been thrown aside, rushed back and cast another healing spell.

Even as they bombarded the Apostle with magic, the group could do nothing but watch as every attack was rendered useless.

The Apostle pointed directly at Manus.

Although the Apostle was far from unscathed, he had made up his mind.

He was determined to take at least one person down with him.

“If I take the strongest among you, your sense of loss will be even greater. Receive the blessing that the God of Death has left for you.”

“Damn it—!”

The Apostle abandoned his physical body and transformed into flames.

Guillermo and Melanie rushed to block him, but the flames, seemingly without form, passed right through them.

Fwoosh!

The cursed flames enveloped Manus’ body.

[Companion of Death]

The pain was unimaginable, as though his very soul was burning.

The noble figure that had stood tall now collapsed lifelessly.

His body, charred beyond recognition.

His uniform, unrecognizable.

“…What… what is this?”

“Wha-? No, no, no—!”

“NOOOOOOOOO—!”

Screams pierced the air.

Voices filled with despair echoed around them.

The Apostle vanished without a trace, leaving only a pile of loot where he had once stood.

It had all happened so fast, too quickly for anyone to comprehend.

The group, overwhelmed by shock, cried out in disbelief.

Kael’s eyes turned red.

Uncontrolled rage began to consume her whole body.

“Ugh—.”

At that moment, something strange occurred.

From the blackened body, one spot began to shine.

The wrist.

An artifact Manus had received before now glowed with a bright light.

His blackened hair regained its luster.

New, unblemished skin grew, and his tattered uniform straightened itself out.

His closed eyes slowly opened, revealing clear blue pupils reflecting the sky.

“…Senior?”

The first person to notice was Kael, her eyes brimming with tears.

She carefully reached out to touch Manus’ face.

Her hands were covered in dust and dirt, but she didn’t care.

Kael gently caressed his face and asked again, her tears streaming down her cheeks.

“You… you’re okay, right? You’re not dead, are you?”

“…Yes.”

Manus showed her the split bracelet.

The artifact, a gift from the Emperor.

It was a shame to have used it so soon, but thanks to it, the Apostle’s final desperate move had been rendered meaningless.

The others sighed in relief.

Kael threw herself into Manus’ arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

How should he react?

In the end, Manus simply patted her on the shoulder.

“I almost had a heart attack. Did you know this would happen?”

“I didn’t expect that last desperate attack either.”

Manus could only explain his survival as pure luck in response to Nia’s question.

New, unknown patterns had been added, and existing ones had been strengthened.

The battles from here on out would only get tougher.

‘This must be a warning not to get complacent.’

There was now a clear reason to become even stronger.

A reason to actively intervene and support those around him.

Either way, the battle had ended safely.

【Battle Over】

[First Apostle: Mathia]

[All party members leveled up.]

[Kael: 45 / Anais: 45 / Pearson: 41 / Melanie: 43 / Alano: 47 / Nia: 48 / Guillermo: 46]

[Your familiar’s level has increased.]

[Albion: 38 / Phoenix: 20]

[First Zone Cleared]

2

When the party opened their eyes, they found themselves in the tower’s lobby.

The first thing they noticed was that the atmosphere of the lobby had changed.

It was no longer the dark and oppressive place it had once been, now replaced with a much brighter ambiance.

The Second Zone.

[Void’s Garden] lay ahead.

The group looked around the lobby.

Nia glanced at a golden clock and spoke.

“Look at this. The time limit has increased.”

“Huh, you’re right.”

“We can explore for twelve hours now. That’s a long time.”

Twelve hours.

Half a day was a significant amount of time.

They could now stretch out their previously tight schedule and have more time to gather equipment.

However, no one was eager to rush into the Second Zone, where unknown enemies awaited.

They all reflected for a moment.

“There’ll be even stronger enemies up there, won’t there?”

“Most likely.”

“To be honest… what would have happened if Senior Manus wasn’t there?”

No one responded.

Could they have withstood that massive firestorm?

At least one of them would have lost their life.

Manus didn’t bother to mention a hidden truth.

As long as Albion was with them, they wouldn’t need to worry about losing their lives.

That’s why he had secretly been raising Albion within the tower.

Hiding one secret, he looked at his comrades.

Here, they needed to be motivated by ambition to continue climbing.

If they were consumed by fear and stopped climbing, their growth would halt as well.

“Are you thinking of stopping here?”

“Of course not.”

Surprisingly, it was Guillermo who responded first.

Gripping his newly acquired shield tightly, he spoke.

“If I keep climbing, I’ll grow even stronger. It’s dangerous, but I understand now that this is the perfect training ground.”

His eyes were filled with determination, as though he had made some kind of resolution.

No one knew what goal he had set or who he was thinking of, but the fervor in his eyes was palpable to the entire group.

“I’ll climb, even if I have to do it alone. I’ll get stronger, little by little.”

“If my junior’s saying that, how can I, as a senior, fall behind? Don’t worry, this sister will protect you.”

Nia smiled warmly, her golden eyes shining.

She glanced at Manus.

Was he this strong because he already knew about the tower’s existence?

Or was it because of his indomitable spirit?

Her thoughts were a tangled mess.

Everything she had prepared for now seemed trivial in comparison, and a multitude of thoughts weighed on her mind.

“Those who are scared can step down. Participation is voluntary.”

Manus spoke as well.

How could he remain so calm after surviving a brush with death?

Everyone quietly listened to him.

His words carried weight.

If they could understand even a fraction of his resolve, they might be able to overcome their fear and keep climbing.

The light in their eyes grew sharper.

“If you turn back now, you’ll be consumed by fear the next time you face the unknown.”

Manus spoke quietly but with conviction.

His moving lips, his sweeping gaze, and his firmly drawn brows conveyed his determination.

It was a pledge he made to himself.

For modern people, the unknown outside of their knowledge and experience invoked an especially deep sense of fear.

‘You must overcome that fear if you want to grow stronger.’

“If we, at such a young age, are crippled by fear, it will affect the rest of our lives.”

“…”

It was true.

Manus was thinking ahead, considering the long-term effects the tower would have on them.

A quiet ripple spread through their hearts.

They couldn’t grasp the depth and breadth of his thoughts.

He was almost like a parent, offering guidance and protection.

As if he were a grown adult advising them, Manus spoke calmly.

“I believe that the experiences we have here will help us overcome future fears when we become adults.”

His words left a lasting impact.

The echoes of his voice lingered in the air, brushing past the group.

[Interference detected.]

[A small amount of courage and hope has taken root in everyone’s hearts.]

[On future journeys, your comrades will be more likely to make bold decisions.]

[Reward: Mana absorption rate slightly increased.]

[Comrades’ experience boost +10%]

“Ugh, you’re right about everything. It’s hard to argue with that. That was one hell of a speech.”

Nia replied playfully.

Manus chuckled and straightened his clothes.

The tattered outfit from the fierce battle bothered him.

Had he really become so used to thinking and acting like a noble?

Seeing him tidy up his clothes, the rest of the party instinctively looked down at their own attire.

Their clothes were wrinkled and scorched in various places.

“For now, let’s head back. You’ve all worked hard.”

“Ugh, we’ve only taken the first step, right? But if we conquer the whole thing, won’t we be incredibly strong? Hehe.”

Pearson’s lighthearted comments lifted the mood.

Their chatter echoed brightly as they left the tower.

They saw the entrance that led back to reality.

As everyone casually walked toward the exit, Manus and Alano suddenly stopped.

A small figure stood still next to the entrance.

A boy, staring up at the tower in a daze.

“That kid…”

“Do you see him too, Senior?”

Something remarkable had happened again.

The boy, who should have only been visible to Alano and Manus, was now also visible to Kael.

And not just her.

“Huh?”

“Who are you?”

The boy, overwhelmed by the sudden attention, hesitated and took a step back.

Then, he turned around and ran away, disappearing back into reality.

What on earth was that about?

Everyone’s eyes filled with curiosity.

Manus and Alano realized the significance of what had just happened.

The boy’s presence had been perceived by everyone in the Tower’s distortion zone.

“Manus, you saw that, right?”

“…Yeah.”

It occurred to him that perhaps their forces would soon increase by one more.

–TL Notes–
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